Box for holding game-counters



(No Model.) J. H; LA BAU.

BOX FOR HOLDING GAME COUNTERS, 8w. 7

Patented July 5, 1881;

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. LA BAU, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

BOX FOR HOLDING GAME-COUNTERS, 86C.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 243,925, dated July 5, 1881,

: Application filed March 12, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom "it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN H. LA BAU, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a certain new and Improved Box for Holding Game Counters, Checks, &c., of which the following is a specification.

Game counters, checks, tokens, or chips, which are commonly made of fragile composition, are liable to be broken or chipped or inj ured by abrasion when they are packed loosely in ordinary boxes; and the object of myinveution is to provide a strong and very cheap box in which they may be packed, and which will prevent their being chipped or otherwise injured while in the box.

To this end the invention consists in a box composed of a block of wood, having in it a line or row of cells extending through the top or upper surface thereof, and having in its upper surface a dovetailed or rabbeted slideway or recess intersecting all the cells, and a sliding cover fitting in said slideway or recess and serving to retain the counters, checks, or chips in the cells. The cells preferably extend nearly to the bottom of the block, and holes smaller than the cells are made entirely through the bottom, preventing the counters, checks, or chips from falling through, but permitting of the finger being inserted to push the counters, checks, or chips out of the cells when the cover is removed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a perspective View of a box embodying my invention, with the cover partlydrawn out. Fig. 2 represents a longitudinal vertical section thereof; and Fig. 3 represents a transverse section thereof.

Similar letters of reference desiguate'corresponding parts in all the figures.

A designates a block of wood, which may be of convenient size and shape for the purpose intended. In it are bored at number of vertical cells or compartments, B, of a diameter large enough to receive the counters, checks, or

chips, and in these cells the counters, checks,

or chips may be placed, those of different denominations being placed in different cells, if desired. The said cells extend entirely through the top or upper surface of the block, and nearly to the bottom thereof, and through the bottom of the block, concentric with each cell, is a hole, B, smaller than the diameter of the cell, and too small to permit of the counters, checks, or chips falling through, but large enough to permitof the finger being inserted, ifnecessary, to force the counters, checks, or chips out of the cells. In the top of the block is formed a dovetailed or rabbeted slideway or recess,C, which intersects all the cells, and D designates a cover, which is dovetailed or rabbeted to fit in said slideway or recess, and is adapted to slide freely therein to close all the cells and retain the counters, checks, or chips therein, or to uncover the cells and permit of the counters, checks, or chips being delivered from the cells.

It will be seen that the cover D is not necessarily wide enough to entirely cover the cells,

and hence the block A need only bejust wide enough to contain the cells B.

The counters, checks, or chips which are most frequently employed are composed of some friable composition, and, when packed loosely in ordinary boxes, are liable to be broken or chipped off or injured by abrasion. By the use of this improved box this is prevented, and the boxes may be made from soft wood by ordinary wood-working machinery at a trifling cost.

Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A box for holding counters, checks, or chips, composed of a block of wood having in it a line or row of cells extending through the top or upper surface thereof, and having in its upper surface a dovetailed or rabbeted slideway or recess intersecting the cells, and a sliding cover dovetailed or rabbeted to tit in said slideway or recess, substantially as specified.

2. The box A, containing cells Bextending nearly to the bottom, the holes B, extending from the bottom of the cells, and the slideway C, and the sliding cover D, substantially as specified. I

JOHN H. LA BAU. iVitnesses:

FREDK. HAYNES, A. O. WEBB. 

